Board game

ABSTRACT

A board game simulating the sport of deer hunting comprising a game board, a plurality of game tokens, and a plurality of target tokens. Each player may possess up to three ammunition tokens. The game board has a plurality of space playing positions forming a plurality of paths along the game board. The space playing positions bear indicia instructions. Each player moves their game token along the paths. When a player lands his game token on a first designated space playing position occupied by a target token, the player can use his ammunition token to take possession of the target token. The first player to return to a second designated playing position while in possession of a target token wins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a board game and more specifically to a board game that simulates the sport of deer hunting. Hunting is a sport practiced throughout the United States across every class or cultural line. While regulations vary widely from state to state, hunting can only be enjoyed when the game is in season. Likewise, for safety concerns it is necessary to limit hunting to daylight hours. Therefore it is desirable to provide a board game which provides the simulated experience of hunting deer that can be played anywhere at any time of the year.

There are examples in the prior art of board games or card games that simulate hunting. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,090,707; 4,567,259 and 878,334 are examples of such prior art. While these games are suitable as far as they go, they lack the elements of strategy and such that are intrinsic to deer hunting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable board game that accurately depicts the tracking, shooting and bagging of an animal in the field that also involves the strategic decisions inherent in each of those steps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principle object of the present invention is to provide a board game which accurately simulates outdoor deer hunting in which the first player to bag a deer and return to a home base wins.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a game board is provided simulating a wooded territory. The game board includes a plurality of space positions bearing indicia instructions. The space playing positions form a plurality of intersecting paths around the game board.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a number of game tokens are provided. The game tokens represent each player and are sized to fit within each space position. When a player's game token lands on a space position, he follows the indicia instruction on the space.

In accordance with an important aspect of the invention ammunition discs are provided. Each disc represents the amount of ammunition each player possesses. Each player is given discs to indicate that they have three bullets.

Predator discs are also provided. The predator discs represent dangerous predators a hunter may encounter while hunting. When a predator disc is placed along the trail, it impedes the player's movement along the trail unless the player has sufficient ammunition to kill the predator.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, game warden discs represent regulatory authorities hunters have to deal with while hunting. When a player's token lands on the same space occupied by a game warden disc, the player must return his game token to a starting position.

In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, challenge discs are provided indicating different situations that may be encountered by a hunter in the field.

The object of the game is to capture a target disc and return to the starting space. A target disc displays the image of a target for hunting. When a player lands his game token on the same playing position occupied by a target disc, and the player has sufficient ammunition left to shoot the target, the player has captured the target.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game board;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one typical game token;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of a die;

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of one typical bullet token in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of one typical clip token;

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of one typical bear game token;

FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of one typical wolf game token;

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of one typical shack challenge card;

FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of one typical target disc;

FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of one typical scope game token;

FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of one typical compass game token; and

FIG. 12 illustrates a top view of one typical game warden token.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the drawings, similar reference numerals denote similar elements throughout the several views. FIGS. 1 - 11 illustrate the equipment needed to play a board game simulating a deer hunt. The equipment includes a game board 10 (FIG. 1), a plurality of movable game tokens 12 (FIG. 2), a die 14 (FIG. 3), bullet tokens 16 (FIG. 4), clip tokens 18 (FIG. 5), bear tokens 20 (FIG. 6), wolf token 22 (FIG. 7), shack challenge cards 24 (FIG. 8), target tokens 26 (FIG. 9), scope tokens 28 (FIG. 10) and compass tokens 30 (FIG. 11).

The game board 10 has a shack position 30 comprising the image of a building on a central portion of the game board. The game board also includes a plurality of adjacent space playing positions 36 to 62 forming a plurality of paths 32 around the game board. Each space playing position bears indicia instructions directing the play when a player's game token 12 lands on a space playing position. Further, a plurality of trails 34 run between various non-consecutive space playing positions. There are also representations of bodies of water 35 where some of the trails 34 traverse the body of water 35.

The game tokens 12 are sized to fit on the space playing positions 36 to 62. Each game token 12 represents the movement of a player along the paths on the game board 10. Typically the game token 12 is a disc having an inner portion 64 and an outer ring 66 surrounds the inner portion 64. As seen in FIG. 2 each game token 12 has a different colored outer ring 66 and a different image of a hunter 67.

In order to begin the game at least three bullet tokens 16 are distributed to each player. The bullet token 16 is a disc bearing the image of a single bullet. When a player wishes to kill a target or predator, the player must have a sufficient number of bullet tokens 16 to take down the target or predator. Alternatively, as will be explained shortly, a player may collect during a game play a clip token 48. Possessing a clip token 48 allows a player to shoot targets or predators without using bullet tokens 40.

Each player then rolls a die 14 to see which player goes first. Preferably, the die 14 is a six-sided die where each side is marked from with from one to six dots. The player who rolls the highest number gets to go first. Then the first player moves his game token 12 from the shack 30 and places it on any of the three space playing positions marked “start” 36. The player then moves a game warden token 33 (FIG. 12) on any of the twelve deer stand 60 space playing position. The player then rolls the die 14 and moves his game token 12 the number of spaces shown on the die 14. (Alternatively, the player can choose to move between one and three positions at his discretion.) The first player then may move the game warden token 33 from the deer stand 60 the same number of spaces rolled on the die 14. (Again, alternatively, the first player may move the game warden token 33 the equivalent number of spaces the first player's game token 12 if no die is used.)

The game warden token 33 is a disc bearing an image of a law enforcement officer 35 in the center of the token 33.

The next player in turn places his game token 12 on any of the three playing positions marked “start” 36, and follows the same steps as the first player.

When a player's game token 12 lands on a space playing position, the player must follow the indicia instruction found on the space playing position. The space playing positions on FIG. 1 are numbered and labeled as follows:

36—Start

37—Lose deer

40—Found bullet

42—Move wolf

44—Draw disc

46—Move bear

48—Found clip

50—To deer stand

52—Lost

54—Found scope

56—Move deer

58—Found canoe

60—Deer stand

62—Found compass

A bear token 20 may block movement of a player's game token 12 along the paths 32. Each bear token 20 is a flat disc having an image of a black bear 21 in the center of the disc. A player's game token 12 may not land on, or pass over a space playing position that is occupied by a bear token 20 unless the player has enough bullet tokens 16. At the 20 start of the game a plurality of bear tokens 20 are stacked on a corresponding bear token space 68 on the game board 10. When a player's game token lands on a “move bear” space 46, the player may move a bear token 20 from the bear token space 68 to any unoccupied space playing position on the board 10. If there are no bear tokens 20 on the bear token space 68, then the player must move one of the bear tokens 20 on the paths 32 25 to another unoccupied space. In order to move on or over a space playing position occupied by a bear token 20, the player must use two of his bullet tokens 16. When a bear is “shot” (i.e. a player uses two bullet tokens 16 to move on or over a space occupied by a bear token 20), the bear token 20 is moved back to the bear token space 68.

A wolf token 22 is like a bear token 20, except that a player need only expend one bullet token 16 to move his game token on or over the space playing position occupied by the wolf token 22. A wolf token 22 is preferably a flat disc bearing the image of a wolf 23 proximate the center of the token 22. A plurality of wolf tokens 22 are placed on a wolf token space 70 on the game board 10 at the start of the game. When a player's game token 12 lands on one of the move wolf 42 space playing positions, that player may move a wolf token 42 similar to how the bear token is moved as described above.

The plurality of shack challenge cards 24 are stacked on a shack challenge space 72. When a player's game token 12 lands on a draw disc 44 space playing position, the player draws a shack challenge card 24 from the stack of shack challenge cards 24 and follows the instructions on the shack challenge card 24.

In order to shoot a target token 26 a player must move his game token 12 to a deer stand 60 space playing position occupied by a target token 26. Preferably, a target token 26 is a flat circular shaped disc with the image of a deer 27 on the center of the token 26. Of course there are any number of game that can be hunted, such as tigers, lions and bears. A plurality of target tokens 26 are stacked on a circular target token space 74 at the start of the game. When a player's game token 12 lands on one of the move deer 56 space playing positions, that player may move a target token 26 from the circular target token space 74 to any unoccupied deer stand 60 space playing position. If all the target tokens 26 have been moved from the circular target token space 74 when a player lands on a move deer 56 space playing position, then the player moves the target token from one deer stand 60 to another.

When a player's game token 12 lands on a deer stand 60 occupied by a target token 26 and the player has at least one bullet token 16 or a clip token 18, then the player may capture the target token 26. Once a player is in possession of a target token 26, then the player must move his game token 12 along the path 32 until he is able to return to the shack 30. The first player who returns to the shack 30 while in possession of a target token 26 wins the game.

However, a player may lose possession of the target token 26 in one of three ways. First, if a second player lands his game token on a space playing position occupied by the first player, then the second player takes possession of the target token from the first player. Second, if a second player draws a shack challenge card 24 which reads “steal deer”, that player may take possession of the target token 26 from the first player. Third, if a player in possession of a target token 26 lands on a lose deer 38 space playing position, then the player must place the target token 26 on the circular target token space 74. Similarly, if a player in possession of a target token 26 draws a shack challenge card 24 that reads “lose deer”, then that player places the target token 26 on the circular target token space 74.

The game warden token 33 can block a space playing position or move a player's game token 12 back to the shack 30. If a game warden token 33 lands on a space playing position occupied by a player's game token 12, the player must move his game token 12 to the shack 30 and loses all items in his possession.

Players may replenish their bullet tokens 16 when their game token 12 lands on a found bullet 40 space playing position or by drawing a shack challenge card 24 that reads “found bullet”. However, if a player already possesses three bullet tokens 16, then he may not take additional bullet tokens 16. Additional bullet tokens 16 are stacked on a circular bullet token space 76 on the game board 10.

A player may also collect clip tokens 18 during the course of the game. The clip tokens 18 are stacked on the game board 10 on the circular clip token space 80. When a player's game token 12 lands on one of the Found Clip 48 space playing positions or draws a “found clip” shack challenge card 24, the player gains possession of a clip token 18.

The game also provides a number of scope tokens 28 which are stacked on the game board 10 at the circular scope token space 82. A scope token 28 is a flat generally disc bearing the image of a typical rifle scope 28b. When a player's game token 12 lands on one of the Found Scope 54 space playing positions, then the player may take possession of the scope token 28. As discussed above, ordinarily a player must land on the same space as a target token 26 or a wolf token 22 or a bear token 20 in order to shoot the target. However, if a player possesses the scope token 28 the player can shoot the object from up to three space playing positions away.

If a player lands his game token 12 on the Found Compass 62 space playing position, then the player can collect a compass token 29. When in possession of the compass token 29, a player may use the trails 34. However, a player may not use the trails if he does not possess the compass token 29. If a player lands on the Found Canoe 58 space playing position, the player may move his game token 12 to any of the other Found Canoe 58. A compass token 29 is not necessary to move from a first Found Canoe space playing position to another.

When a player's game token 12 lands on the To Deer Stand 50 that player may move his or her game token 12 to the designated deer stand 60 space playing position.

This invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and play the board game embodied in the invention. It is understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different equipment. Various modes of carrying out the invention can be accomplished without departing from the scope of the invention itself. 

1. A board game wherein at least two players simulate the sport of hunting comprising: a) a game board having a plurality of space playing positions bearing indicia instructions, said space playing positions forming a plurality of paths around said game board, said game board further including a plurality of trails running between non-consecutive space playing positions on the paths; b) a plurality of generally circular game tokens sized to fit on said space playing positions representing each player, wherein each circular game token is of a different color and bearing different images of a hunter; c) a die, when tossed, indicating how many space playing positions to move each of said game tokens; d) a plurality of ammunition tokens indicating a number of shots of ammunition a hunter may take; e) a plurality of predator tokens impeding movement of game tokens along the game board paths, wherein a player may not move his game token past a predator token along a path unless he expends a predefined number of ammunition tokens on said predator token; f) a plurality of game warden tokens wherein the game warden tokens may be positioned on the plurality of paths to impede movement of circular game tokens along the game board paths by prohibiting forward movement of the game token along the path, further when a game warden token is placed on the same space playing position occupied by one of said game tokens, the player must move his or her circular game token to a starting space playing position on one of the paths; g) a plurality of shack challenge cards bearing additional indicia instructions wherein one of said players draws one of said shack challenge cards when said one of said players lands on said space playing position indicating that said one of said players should draw one of said shack challenge cards; h) a plurality of target tokens displaying the image of a target of hunting, wherein when the player lands his circular game token on the same space playing position occupied by one of said target tokens, and said player possesses at least one ammunition token the player may capture the target token, wherein the first player to return to a designated space playing position while in possession of a target disc wins the game.
 2. The board game in claim 1 and further including a scope token, wherein when the player is in possession of a scope token and at least one ammunition token, and said player is within three space playing positions of a target token, the player may capture the target token.
 3. The board game in claim 1 and further including a compass token, wherein when a player is in possession of one of said compass token, the player may use one of the trails to move the player's circular game token between two non-consecutive space playing positions connected by the trail.
 4. The board game in claim 1 wherein the plurality of predator tokens includes: a) a plurality of bear tokens wherein said players may not move their circular game token on or through a space playing position occupied by one of said bear tokens unless the player has at least two ammunition tokens in his possession; and b) a plurality of wolf tokens wherein said players may not move their circular game token on or through a space playing position occupied by one of said wolf tokens unless the player has at least one ammunition disc in his possession.
 5. The board game in claim 1 wherein the plurality of ammunition tokens includes: a) a plurality of bullet tokens wherein each bullet token represents a single bullet, further said players may not possess greater than three bullet tokens each; b) at least one clip token wherein when one of said players is in possession of said clip token, said player may land on a space occupied by one of the predator tokens and target tokens without expending ammunition.
 6. A method of playing a board game simulating the sport of hunting, said board game including a game board having a plurality of space playing positions bearing indicia instructions, said space playing positions forming a plurality of paths around said game board, said game board further including a plurality of trails running between non-consecutive space playing positions on the paths, and circular spaces randomly disposed on the game board; a plurality of generally circular game tokens sized to fit on said space playing positions representing one of at least two players, wherein each circular game token is of a different color and bearing different images of a hunter; a plurality of ammunition tokens indicating a number of shots of ammunition a hunter may take; a plurality of predator tokens impeding movement of game tokens along the paths, wherein a player may not move his game token past a predator token unless he expends a quantity of ammunition tokens on said predator token; a plurality of game warden tokens wherein the game warden token may impede movement of game tokens along the game board paths by prohibiting forward movement of the game token along the path, further when a game warden token is placed on the same space playing position of a player the player must move the circular game token to a starting space playing position on one of the paths; a plurality of target tokens displaying the image of a target of hunting, wherein when one of said players lands their circular game token on the same space playing position occupied by one of said target tokens, and the players posses at least one ammunition token the player may capture the target token, wherein the first player to return to a pre-designated space playing position while in possession of a target token wins the game. Said method comprising: a) stacking all discs on matching circular spaces on the game board; b) distributing at least three ammunition tokens to each player; c) choosing a generally circular game token for each player; d) rolling a die to determine which player goes first, wherein the player with the highest number goes first; e) moving circular game token along the paths and following the instructions indicated on each space playing position, moving the game warden token along the paths an equal number of space playing position that the circular game token has moved; f) continuing play of the game in a turn fashion until a player has successfully captured possession of the target token and returned their game token to the designated space playing position.
 7. The method of playing a game according to claim 6 and further including the step of rolling the die to determine the number of space playing positions to move the circular game token. 